Musculoskeletal health refers to the health of an individual’s bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons and other connective tissue that allows the body to move with ease and without pain. Good musculoskeletal health requires these areas of the body to work together without pain, to complete everyday activities that we often take for granted both in and outside of work.
In almost all workplaces, employers must support musculoskeletal health with appropriate muscle and back support. Here at Westfield Health, we offer workplace health solutions that prioritise the long-term health of your employees. Continue reading to join the discussion on protecting musculoskeletal health in the workplace.
Why does musculoskeletal health matter?
Musculoskeletal health is vital in supporting your employees to live a pain-free and mobile life. Musculoskeletal conditions affect over 18 million people in the UK, affecting their ability to work, learn, care for their families and live pain-free every day. This is why employers must consider the musculoskeletal health of their employees.
How musculoskeletal health impacts the workplace
Musculoskeletal health and back support can have a significant impact on both employers and employees in the workplace. In 2025, musculoskeletal conditions resulted in over 27 million lost working days, showing the dramatic impact these health concerns have on employee wellbeing and business productivity.
Impacts of poor musculoskeletal health include:
Absenteeism & presenteeism
Every year, over 20 million working days are lost due to musculoskeletal disorders, and it was reported as the second highest named cause of sickness leave in the UK. Appropriate support for these physical conditions in the workplace therefore plays an important role in minimising the business impact of absenteeism due to MSK health. Similarly, MSK-related presenteeism can suggest a poor work culture where your employees feel uncomfortable requesting the support they need for their health, further impacting productivity and employee engagement.
Poor employee mental health & wellbeing
Musculoskeletal health can have a direct impact on employee mental health in your organisation. The pain and discomfort often associated with MSK conditions are strongly linked with poor mental health. Research found that 33.9% of adults over 50 experiencing MSK pain have also reported persistent anxiety issues, and 22% have a persistent depression problem, demonstrating the importance of treating MSK health as an important aspect of your health and wellbeing strategy.
Employee Retention
Conditions including back pain, arthritis and muscle strain injuries play a direct role in employee retention rates and leavism. Reports in March 2026 found that more than half a million people have been signed off work as long-term sick due to MSK conditions. Providing preventative and ongoing support for musculoskeletal conditions can help employees maintain positive actions for their future wellbeing.
Productivity loss
Musculoskeletal health can have a significant impact on employees’ work capacity and ability to perform the physical tasks in their role. Many MSK conditions, such as osteoarthritis, can limit joint mobility and be further aggravated by physical tasks such as lifting and carrying, causing a potential decline in productivity at work.
Signs of poor musculoskeletal health
To address musculoskeletal health in a workplace, it is important to learn how to spot the early warning signs and symptoms of poor MSK health. Signs of poor musculoskeletal health include:
- Joint or muscle stiffness
- Pain in bones or muscles
- Loss of range of motion or flexibility
- Inflammation or tenderness in the joints
- Weakness in joints
Can work-related musculoskeletal health be prevented?
There are lots of preventative measures that can, and should, be put in place to prevent your employees suffering from MSK conditions. Placing musculoskeletal health as a high business priority
- Provide ergonomic equipment: Ergonomic equipment that properly supports proper posture and joint care can help to support the body and relieve pressure on the body that can aggravate MSK conditions. It can be hard to know if your desk posture is affecting your employee wellbeing, but poorly supported posture could cause long-lasting problems for the back and neck. For further support and reading, check out our posture checklist: 7 top tips for good posture at work.
- Provide appropriate manual handling PPE: For manual handling industries like construction, manufacturing or agriculture, workers are at high risk of musculoskeletal conditions such as repetitive strain injuries, osteoarthritis, tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. To help prevent this risk, employers should consider what personal protective equipment (PPE) workers need, including anti-vibration gloves, joint pads, and back and wrist braces for lifting.
- Raise awareness of MSK in the workplace: Awareness is the first step to taking action against poor musculoskeletal health in the workplace. Take advantage of national awareness events, such as Back Care Awareness Week in October, to raise awareness of the importance of back care and open a discussion of how we can all protect our health for the future.
- Encourage regular movement or active breaks: Regular movement or stretching breaks can provide relief from stiffness caused by prolonged sitting or poor posture. Simple body weight exercises can also help to maintain functional muscle strength to prevent future muscle or joint pain.
- Provide professional physical training: If you are introducing a new wellbeing strategy in your organisation that prioritises musculoskeletal health, it may benefit your team to provide appropriate training on how they can best protect their own MSK health in the workplace. This could include an understanding of what musculoskeletal health means, as well as how to identify risks and symptoms.
- Encourage early reporting: Especially when working with a large team of employees, it is unrealistic that employers will be able to monitor every employee’s MSK health. Instead, it is important to encourage a workplace culture where team members are empowered to care for their own health, recognise early signs and understand the protocol to report early signs of poor back or joint health. With early reporting and intervention, employers are able to minimise the impact of MSK conditions in the future.
How PHI and healthcare benefits protect musculoskeletal health
Our healthcare solutions, including Health Cash Plans and Private Health Insurance, can play a pivotal role in protecting musculoskeletal health in your workplace.
The Evolve Health Cash Plan is a great solution for businesses looking to build comprehensive health and wellbeing strategies. Our health cash plan offers access to a range of healthcare benefits and everyday services that can support pain-free movement for workers. With a business health cash plan, your workers can claim cash back, up to set limits, for alternative therapy treatments, including:
- Physiotherapy
- Acupuncture
- Chiropractic
- Osteopathy
- Homeopathy treatment
For more comprehensive treatment and MSK support, consider adding Private Health Insurance coverage for your employees. Private health insurance can offer fast and efficient surgical or medical treatment for employees’ musculoskeletal health when required, helping employees to recover and return to work pain-free. For more information on your options for private health insurance, check out our guidance.